Taking a Shot at It
by who-need's-a-hero12
Summary: Clare has been tutoring Fitz since spring break.  Fitz aces his midterm, and throws Clare a private party to thank her.  He hopes that this will be his chance to fianlly ask Clare out.  But what happens when an uninvited guess shows up?
1. Chapter 1

**Taking a Shot at It**

Hurray! This is my first fanfic! Oh, and if everyone likes this enough, I will go deeper into the prologue and make that into a couple of chapters. Thanks!

_Synopsis: Clare has been tutoring Fitz since spring break. Fitz aces his midterm, and throws Clare a private party to thank her. But what happens when an uninvited guess shows up?_

**Prologue (Clare's POV)**

I spent all of spring break crying with Ali and Adam over Eli. Why would he have done something so stupid as to try and crash "Morty", his beloved hearse? Why did he constantly need to try to prove himself for me? GRRRR! He was so intelligent, yet so dumb at the same time. Julia had obviously corrupted him… and my relationship with him. She didn't mean to, but she had. He just couldn't get over her. My Eli was never truly mine; he would forever be _Julia's Eli_. And after the fight and the car crash… well, he had ruined any chances of us ever reconciling. He had just become too clingy. And I HATED how he was always trying to play the puppet master in our relationship. Ali said Eli wasn't good enough for me.

Adam, who was both Eli's and my best friend, chose me over Eli. Adam said, "The dude's gone wack. He's the Eli I met on the first day of school. It's like he was the stunt double for the movie _Exorcist_, but he got stuck have the evil thing inside of him, and the producers forget to take it out."

"Ewww! Adam, that's disgusting! And besides, I think he's more like Jekyll and Hyde. And he just has more Jekyll than Hyde," retorted Ali.

So, when we returned to school the following week, I wasn't prepared for what Principal Simpson would ask me to do for him. When I was called into the office, I had assumed I was in some form of trouble or they just wanted to ask about Eli and me. Instead, Principal Simpson explained that he wanted to start a new tutoring program. He would take all the AP honor students, and have them tutor our failing classmates. The time we spent with them would go towards our volunteer hours for school. Simpson asked if I would be the poster girl for the program, figuring if the possible tutors saw me helping, they would follow suit. I agreed to help, glad to have something take _him_ off my mind. Then Simpson pulled in another student from the secretary's office. A looming figure with dark hair and bulking muscles shuffled into the room, his head downcast towards the carpet.

"Mark, meet your new tutor, Clare." Mark? Oh god, please not him! I would take Drew or Owen or even Bianca, but not Fitz! Just then, Fitz raised his head, and he smiled at me with his root beer brown eyes.

"Miss Edwards and I have made acquaintances numerous times over the years," Fitz said, with a smile from ear to ear.

"Oh good, then you two can start right away and begin working this afternoon," suggested Simpson.

"That would be fine with me. Does that work for you Clare?" asked Fitz, now standing over me.

"It's fine." I sighed. What had I just gotten myself into?

Anyway, Mark and I began tutoring that afternoon. He REALLY didn't get the information. This was going to take a lot longer than I thought it would. We took it slow, and he eventually began to understand it. By the end of the year, Fitz had gone from an F average to a B-, an extraordinary feat for him. He turned out to be not as terrible as I predicted. He listened to music, played video games, partied, and drank coffee, like any other regular teenager. But he wasn't. Fitz was special somehow. His presence just pulled you in, so you wanted to talk to him. In a way, Fitz was a spider, attracting flies to prey upon. But he had stopped bullying people since he had found God. He amazingly befriended Adam and Ali, and how I don't know. Ali thinks he did it so that he could hang out with me more often, but I don't believe her. Even though he tried flirting with me after he got out of juvie, he had stopped it. We were friends now.

We continued working together over the summer, and Mark's grades continued to improve in summer school. By the start of the fall semester, he had a B+. Ali, Adam, Fitz, Drew, Bianca, Owen, and I hung out regularly. Then things got weird. Eli came back this year. He keeps trying to talk to me, but I refuse to listen. I am not going to let him talk me into going out with him again. Once was enough.

But, I'm not going to worry about Eli right now. Fitz, _Mark_, I mean, has invited me to his new loft that he lives in. It's the end of the winter semester. Fitz, no, _Mark_, God this is going to be difficult calling him that from now on, is celebrating his aced midterm grades. He says I am the reason, but I don't believe it. He's the one who took the test. I just supported him. And when he said he was throwing a get together in honor of it, well, I _had_ to go. He sounded so happy on the phone. Plus, it's at his new loft, where there is no abusive, alcoholic family members to bug him. This is the beginning of a new life for him. Now he can focus on school and work at the Dot without constantly living in fear. I'm glad he's happy. He deserves to be happy for a change.


	2. Chapter 2

**Taking a Shot at It**

I'm finally doing part two! Woo-hoo! This is part 2 0f 4, just letting you all know. Sorry it took so long to get out to you all. And thank you for the reviews! They mean a lot! And please forgive me if I miss a word or two in here, because I type too quickly to pick up on this stuff sometimes. And I do take requests! (And I honestly don't care about Eclare VS Flare, I just like writing.) Thanks!

**Mark's POV **

I, Mark Peter Fitzgerald, was doing something that last year, I would never have believed I was doing. I was cleaning… like a mad man. Clare was coming over in an hour. Everything needed to look perfect for her, because, frankly, I wasn't. Who new dust could find so many places to be in? Anyway, I was bouncing around the loft like a lunatic, finding last minute things to adjust or polish.

Bianca, my unofficial roommate, had done nothing…literally. She had sat on her ass all day, flipping channels and drinking diet coke as she bided her time before her date with Drew tonight. "Fitzy, chill! She's just a girl."

"But she's not," I thought to myself, but I didn't say it aloud. The last thing I needed was Bianca randomly telling Clare in the middle of the night, "Fitzy-boo just _loves_ you Clare-bear." That would ruin everything. I wanted, no, needed tonight to be magical for Clare. I wanted tonight to be the night where Clare would look into my eyes and say, "Wow, Mark… I never noticed how pretty your eyes were." And then I say something witty and sweep her off her feet and finally kiss her. You know how long I've been waiting to do this? Since before Vegas night last year. Suddenly, Bianca broke my train of thought.

"Fitzy, go take a shower… please. You smell like Windex." Did I? I nonchalantly sniffed my shoulder. Yep, Marky Mark needed a shower. "Besides," she added, "I need to get ready before Drew comes. Because lord knows I don't have one of them fairy god-motha things." I laughed. For as snarky as she was, Bianca could be funny. I headed over to the "bathroom", which was really just a small shower and toilet that I had screened off from the rest of the loft. When the water was finally hot enough, I hopped in, and ran my hand through my hair. Somehow, the heat really helped calm me down.

**Eli's POV**

I drummed my fingers on my desk. To call, or not to call...Adam, that is. Clare had blocked my phone and changed her number, and since Adam had left me to play Fitz's lapdog, I had been on my own. I needed to talk to Clare, like, now. She hasn't given me the time of day since I crashed Morty, which pisses me off to no end. I crashed him for _her_! She should have been honored that I would do such a thing. But, no. Instead, she fell into the arms of Stalker angel… okay, he's not Stalker angel… or is he? Fitz…. asshole extraordinaire, bully, idiot, future FBI must-watch-list member, and especially this one: _stalker_. He looms behind Clare like he's her shadow, giving her no room to breathe. He's sucking away her very soul, leaving her weak-minded and in a trance. He also follows Adam, Drew, and that Ali chick too. Damn, the guy had a posse of people to stalk. And they let him! But the minute I even try to get near them, the posse circles around Clare and whisks her away, like they're her personal bodyguards. As if _I_ would try to hurt her! If I called Adam, he could tell me where Clare was, and then I could surprise her with the most incredible Christmas gift she'll ever receive, me! All I need to do to win her back is to call Adam…. Okay, I'm doing this! I continued drumming my fingers while the phone rang.

_Once_… _twice_… _three times_… god damn it Adam, pick up your phone! Just then, Adam finally picked up.

"_Hello?"_

"HI ADAMMM!"

"…_Who is this? And if you're prank calling, hang up asshole. I'm not in the mood."_

"Jeez Adam, take a testosterone pill."

"_ELI?" What the hell are you doing calling me?"_

"What? I'm not allowed to call my best friend to wish him happy holidays?"

"_Eli, you hate Christmas… What do you want?"_

"Well, since you asked, where's Clare?"

"_Oh no, you are not doing this! Clare has finally gotten over you and your stupidity, and now you want to come waltzing back into her life like nothing happened. Well, it did! You couldn't get over your dead girlfriend, and you ruined your relationship with Clare!"_

"Hey, that dead girlfriend has a name. God Damn it! Look, I don't want to fight alright? I haven't really had the balls to apologize yet, and now I'm trying to make up for that. And what are you, Clare's guardian angel?"

"_You could say… look, she's like my sister, okay? You mess with her, and you're messing with me. Which means you're also messing with Ali, Sav, Drew, Bianca, Owen, and Fitz." _ Fitz? He really was stalker angel!

"Why does she hang out with that whore Bianca, Owen, and the future convict, Fitz?"

"_Hey, watch your mouth asshole, Bianca's dating my brother. And Owen isn't so bad. And since Fitz found god-"_ I cut him off,

"Load of bullshit!"

"_Oh really? Well, guess what douche bag. Mark goes to church with every Sunday….with Clare."_ Was he trying to piss me off? Adam continued, _"And Clare is finally happy. She's so much in love with life. She walks around with this aura of light radiating off of her, and… Fitz helped her become like that. Not you. So can you please just let her be happy? Please?"_

"Clare's always had a halo above her head Adam. And I'm glad she's happy… it's just, well, I'm annoyed because I'm not the one who's making her happy. You know?"

"_Yeah… I hear ya bro."_ Wait… Adam likes Clare? When did this start?

"Aw, someone have a crush?"

"_Shut up Eli! God, you're so nosy."_ So it was true then. I had two boys going after my Clare. One was my former best friend, and the other was my arch rival. Wow, this sucks. I mean, I get Adam liking her. But Fitz? He's probably tempting her just to piss me off.

"Sorry. But can you please just send Clare my love?"

"_Uh… Ewww! Dude, I got stuck playing messenger once, and I'm not doing it again. Besides, I'm going to the movies with Ali tonight, so I won't see Clare until tomorrow."_

"Wait, Ali? Dude, you've got two girls? Jeez, you're smooth!"

"_Well, I'm quite the ladies man,"_ Adam smugly replied. Ladies man my ass. Ladies lady was more like it. "_But I'll ask Drew to refer it to her."_

"Why Drew?"

"_Oh, because he's going out with Bianca tonight."_

"Ok, once again, what does Bianca have to do with it?"

"_Bianca? Oh, Bianca lives with Fitz, and Clare's going over there soon to hang out."_

Say wha? Oh boy, this was going to be a long night.

"Well, thanks Adam, have fun with little India."

"_Thanks man. See ya!"_

God Adam was so easy to manipulate. It was sort of pathetic in a way. But Clare hanging out at Stalker Angel's place? It was so obvious that this was a trap, but Clare was too naïve to see past it. I could wait until Fitz broke her heart, and she'd coming crawling back to me, but that would take out all the fun. I wanted Clare so badly it hurt. More than I ever wanted Julia or anyone other girl for that matter. I wanted to prove that I was worthy of her love. And what better way than to vanquish the dragon that guarded the frightened princess? Clare needed to be saved from that… _thing_. And apparently, I'm the only who has looked past his façade to see who he really is. A heartless beast who dines on the flesh of the weaker people of Degrassi, and who reigns over the school with an iron fist because no one can say boo to him. Well guess what Fitzy boy? I'm saying more than boo tonight. Be prepared to taste some of your own medicine douche bag.

**Clare's POV**


	3. Chapter 3

**Taking a Shot at It**

This is part 3 of 4. Sorry it took so long to get out! I had writer's block at first, but then I found a Harry Potter fandom that sucked away my life. However, today, I remembered this story and thought of a new, better ending. Mwahaha! Thanks for reading!

_Most of this was written at a previous point. The last third of Bianca's POV and down is current. I'm trying to keep the style the same, but it may not work out. Cross your fingers!_

**Clare's POV**

As I approached Mark's door, my stomach became filled with butterflies. My hands trembled as I knocked on Mark's door. Did I look alright? Just then, Mark opened the door with a goofy grin on his face. He was wearing a Santa's hat, a maroon long-sleeved shirt I bought with him, Bianca, and Drew at Abercrombie, and a pair of faded jeans. He looked good, happy.

"Hey Clarey!"

"Hey Mark!" He then pulled me into a long bear hug. It wasn't awkward at all, and surprisingly, when he pulled away, I felt sad. Could it…? Nah, it's probably just because we're good friends, and plus, he smells like the Old Spice cologne I got him for his birthday in October.

"So, do you want to come in, or do you just want to stand outside the door all night?" he lightly joked, a grin creeping across his face.

"Yes, I'm coming in." I laughed. He grabbed my hand to pull me into his loft, and an electric shock ran up my arm, through my spine, and left me tingling. His hands were way larger than mine, but weren't scary. More like… embracing. And warm!

**Mark's POV**

Clare looked gorgeous in her outfit. Although it was simplistic, it was her. She was wearing a light blue oxford shirt, black skinny jeans, and a pair of flats. Her hair had grown out since the last time she cut it in September, and now her autumn brown curls reached past her shoulders. I don't know why I grabbed her hand to bring her into the loft, but when I did, I felt sparks. It was like her halo had decided to pay me a visit and illuminate my entire body. Her small hands were cold from being outside. Did she feel the spark too? No…. she still liked Eli. Who could every love a guy like me? I mean, sure, I had come back from the brink and had cleaned up my act, but I was still viewed as "the enemy" by most people at Degrassi. As we entered the loft, Clare's electric blue eyes grew wide with surprise. I had decorated the walls with Christmas lights, hung up stockings; I had even gotten a small pine tree just for the occasion. Bianca laughed at me when I was buying Christmas ornaments at Wal-Mart, but I don't care. Clare really liked Christmas, and I wanted to make this a Christmas she would never forget. If it made Clare happy, I would do it.

**Clare's POV**

Wow! Mark really had gone all out. The brick wall had lights hanging from them, soft Christmas music was playing from the CD player, a small pine tree sparkled with tinsel and ornaments, and, oh my God! He baked cookies! And they smelled really good! Mark and I had taken Home Economics last semester together, so I knew he could really bake.

"So, what do you think?"

"It's great Mark!"

"Really?" he asked as a small blush spread across his face.

"Yeah, definitely! Thanks for inviting me over to see it. It's really changed from the original photographs you showed me."

"Well, a little paint, varnish, and some furniture can go a long way."

"Fitzy boy, how do I look?" Bianca cooed as she stepped out from the screen that blocked off the restroom. She was wearing a black mini skirt, a glimmering red top, and a serious pair of stilettos.

"Uh… I don't think Mrs. Claus will approve when you apply for a job as Santa's helper, but I'm sure Drew will think you look fine."

"Fine? Fitzy, this outfit took two hours to find! That's more time than I spend doing my homework for an entire month!"

"Bianca, you look great. You could be wearing a trash bag out, and Drew would still want to date you." I assured her.

"Thanks Clare!" she laughed. Just then, Bianca's cell phone began to ring. She grabbed it from her bag and looked down at the number, raised an eyebrow, then looked back to us. "I'm going to take this out in the hallway. Be back in a few minutes." She then strutted out of the room, and closed the door behind her.

"Um, Mark, what was that all about?"

"I don't know Clarey. It's probably an ex or something. But who ever it was, I'm going to leave her alone about it. It's best not to bug her about those kinds of things." I nodded; Bianca was not exactly pleasant to be around when you brought up hot topics like her family, her past, or her vast list of exes.

**Bianca's POV**

Why was Adam calling me? He was going out with Bhandari tonight. Maybe he was just calling to let me know Drew was going to be running late or something.

"Hey Adam, what's up?"

"_Hi B, bad news. Eli is looking for Clare."_

"What?! Why is he trying to contact her now?"

"_Something about apologizing, I don't know. But he sounded shady on the phone… plus I accidentally let it slip that you live with Fitz, and that Clare is hanging out with Fitz tonight."_

"You did what?! What were you thinking Adam? You know that he is crazy, and that he

could hurt somebody!"

"_I know, I know, you don't think I feel good about this? God, I hate him."_

"No you don't, you can't hate anybody Adam. Just like Clare. It's alright though, just as long as you make amends for it."

"_And how do you expect me to do that B?"_

"Stop him from trying to find Clare."

"_Too late B, if I know Eli, he's already looked him every Fitzgerald in the phone book, and should be on his way over in an hour."_

"Shit! What are we going to do?"

"_I've already called Drew about it. He said that if it was alright with you, both of you would stay in the first floor an guard the lobby for about an hour until the coast is clear. If he shows up, delay him."_

"How the hell do you expect me to delay emo boy? He doesn't pay attention to any other girls except Clare. And it's not like Drew can flirt with him either."

"_Just chit-chat with him. You don't have to seduce everyone B."_

"Excuse me? Look, **buddy**, I'm doing you a favor. I shouldn't have to do squat! But no, you just have to go screwing it up like you always do."

"_Screw you B."_

"Ugh… Adam, I didn't mean it like that."

"_I know… but it still hurts."_

"Well, calling me a seducer of all hurt too. You know I've tried to change and have stayed loyal to Drew, and only Drew, since July."

"_I'm sorry B, it's just… I'm scared. And stressed. On top of my first date with Ali, I have to study for midterms, get all my forms signed for the treatments and hormones, and now __**this**__."_

"Ugh…I'm sorry Adam. Look, I'll help out, 'kay? No need to shit a brick. It isn't like Drew has to go up against the gang again."

"_Yeah, that was an 'effin nightmare. Just be careful. Eli doesn't play fair. He might do something stupid like try to win Clare over again by fighting with Fitz."_

"Do you think Eli might bring a gun?"

"…"

"Adam? Hello? Earth to FTM? You there buddy?"

"_Yeah"_ Adam muttered.

"Yeah what Adam?"

"…"

"Answer the damn question already. Do you think he's gonna bring a gun?"

"_Yes"_ Adam sighed. _"Yes, he will probably bring a gun."_

"Crap…. Adam? Can you call the cops?"

"_Say wha? Bianca wants to bring in the po-po? I'd never thought I'd live to see the day where I'd hear you say that!"_

"Shut up. And I'm asking because if Fitz gets hurt, or Drew, or Clare; I don't think I could ever live with that. So can you please just call the freckin' police and tell them what's going on so they can be on standby a few blocks away?"

"_Whatever you want B. I'm just hoping it this doesn't come down to them having to help."_

"Yeah, me either."

"_Bye."_

"Bye." This night certainly was going to be longer than she thought it was going to be. Bianca sighed as she flipped her phone closed and reentered the apartment. Mark and Clare were dancing to a jazzy Christmas song while wrapping tinsel around the furniture.

"Hey, I'm gonna head out. Drew's waiting for me."

"Who called?" Fitz stopped dancing and he had run out of tinsel to decorate with.

"Mi madre. She wanted to give me a drunken 'happy holidays'." Fitz nodded his head in understanding.

"Have a good time with Drew. And don't stay out to late." He gave her a stern look, his finger pointed at her. He broke out into a smile and dropped his hand. "I'm just messing with ya." I roll my eyes and grab my purse from the counter.

"Stay out of trouble, you two." I close the door, and walk down the stairs with a sigh. Drew is waiting for me on the first floor. I run down the last few steps and jump into a hug.

"Merry Christmas, baby." He nuzzles his head into mine. I close my eyes and inhale the scent of him. He's the only person I've ever met who smells like eggnog and pine trees around this time of year.

**Eli's POV**

It took a while, but I finally found Mark Fitzgerald in the phone book. Standing outside of the apartments next to The Dot, I could see the whore and her newest catch making out inside the main lobby. What if they saw me? What if I got caught? What if I…no, Eli, calm down. I run my hands over the handgun in my jacket pocket, and my nerves are soothed. It won't matter in a few minutes whether they saw me or not. In fact, they'll probably thank me for freeing them from stalker angel. I open the glass door as quietly as possible. The pair of them are so wrapped up in the moment that they don't hear me. Just for safety's sake, I pull up my hood and let it swath my face in darkness. I try to dodge around them to get to the stairs, but Drew is backing Bianca into the wall for better tongue action.

"Uh…sorry." I act as causally as possible.

"It's all…" Drew looks up from Bianca's tonsils and tries to find my eyes. He pushes Bianca aside and grabs the front of my sweatshirt. "Eli, you're gonna go away, right now!"

I cock one eyebrow and chuckle in response. "Or what?"

"You'll get a stomach full of fist."

My eyes roll automatically. "_Like dude_," I mock in a Bianca-like voice, "Lead beats fist every time. Didn't you ever play Rock, Paper, Scissors as a kid?" I chortle into the tense air. This would really make a perfect climax for my next screenplay. "Now, you're going to let go of me, or else." Drew wants to play tough, so he swings his other fist at me, but he's to slow to catch a fox like me. As his fists hits where my face previously was, my hand reaches for the gun. Before he knows it, the butt of the gun makes contact with his temple, and he crumples to the ground like a used handkerchief. Bianca's screaming and grappling for her cell phone from her bag, but it gets drowned out by the racing beat of my heart as I race up the stairs.

Once I reach the third landing, I race to 7C. I can vaguely hear a siren in the distance, but I don't care. The only thing I care about right now is the fact that I can hear Clare's laughter in tandem with Stalker Angel's. I lightly touch the doorknob, and it creaks open. Clare and Stalker Angel are too busy laughing to notice me. My love is sitting on the couch, staring up into the comical face of Stalker Angel as he belts a 'Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer'. Could this world be anymore cruel? As if it weren't enough my arch nemesis was allowed back into my school, he had to bewitch my muse too.

When the song ends, he bows and jumps onto the couch while she claps those angelic hands. Her eyes twinkle like the sun, for she is the east, my sunrise, my Juliet. Her beauty and life radiate throughout the shabby hut, her magic turning the drab into the magnificent. If I only had a camera to capture the moment with, this would be the perfect way to start a poem. But alas, my hands hold but metal and vengeance. Even if I had a camera, she wouldn't look at me the way she looks at him. What does he have that I don't? A mere God? Oh, but if mortals realized their foolishness, and instead devoted their thoughts to the arts and the stars, the world would be a better place.

My mind snaps back to attention once I hear a small gasp escape Her lips. Stalker was handing Clare a present. She carefully unwrapped it, and found a small, velvet box. Clare cautiously opened the lid and found a pair of sapphire earrings.

"Oh Mark…this must have cost a fortune!" Stalker shrugged.

"Eh, it took a few paychecks, but they were worth it. I know you've wanted them for a while."

"Well, thank you, they're beautiful." Clare blushed, and began to put them on.

"They remind me of your eyes." Clare's blush went darker, and soon her whole face was pink. Does he not realize that she is no mere star, but that she is the sun itself, with which we revolve around? And blue really isn't her color, she would look much better in a fiery red.

"I've got a present for you too, Mark." She gets up off the couch to go to her pursue on the counter. So, they're on a first name basis? Bleh. Why is she wearing pants? She's a skirt and dress girl, not a pant girl. I felt betrayed by my love. She had changed and left me behind-no, even worse: she had been brainwashed by Stalker and his gang of delinquents.

"Clare, it's okay. You've already done so much for me. I have everything I need."

"Well, I got you something anyway." She grins and hands him a wrapped box. He shreds through the paper, revealing a blue frame divided into three separate spaces with a photo inside each. I can't see them to well, but they all look like they were taken at a beach. God, those things are disgusting. Next to the frame is a vial of blue and green sea glass. And finally, there is a small shell on a chord necklace. Stalker's eyes glow in delight, and his hands tremble as he rushes to put on the necklace. Clare, in the mean time, is pointing out the various photos.

"This is the one of everyone when we were at the beach this summer." Oh their god, they went to the beach? Together? Ugh. She points to the next photo. "This was when you ran into the ocean." A smile creeps onto his already elated face. She points to the last photo. "And this is the one Adam took during the ice cream fight you and I had." They're smiling at each other, but I can't see anything too well. My vision is growing blurry. Stalker puts the frame and vial on the coffee table, and wraps her into a hug.

"Thank you so much Clare." Their eyes are closed, but I have to squint to look. I can barely see at this point. He quietly murmurs into her hair. "You saved me." A wale of agony interrupts their moments, and they turn to face me in fear and astonishment. Only then do I realize that **I'm** the cause of the sound. I barge into the apartment and stand over them on the couch. Clare's face is skeletally pale, but Stalker's face matches his shirt. His arms are still protectively wrapper around her.

**Narrator's POV**

"How could you?!" Eli screams in Clare's face.

"Look, Eli. Clare didn't do anything!" Fitz stands up and has his hands out, acting as a wall to protect Clare.

"You lied! You said you loved me, and that we would be together forever!" Tears burn in Eli's eyes, and the warm droplets race down his face. Clare stands too.

"You know what? She probably did at one point. But you suffocated her!"

"How could I have suffocated the very soul that keeps me alive? Tell me, how does one smother the sun?"

"Please, let's not turn this into a screaming match."

"Stay out of this, Clare!" Eli screams at her smaller form. She stands a little straighter and gives him a pointed look.

"Why should I? You're upset with me, not Mark. There's no reason why we can't have a proper conversation like adults." She moves to stand beside Fitz, forcing his arm to his side.

"No, my battle is with Stalker Angel. And I warn you, _this_ will be our last!" Eli backs up a bit, giving himself a better range to see the room and closer to the door.

"Stalker who?" Fitz looks at Eli, confused by the other boy's words.

"You think he's Stalker Angel…" The words escape her mouth, barely above a whisper, and Clare's eyes are closed in concentration.

"It's plain as day he is, and we **both** know it." Eli is shaking, and the tears are drip down in curving lines.

"What are you talking about?"

"No more talk! Now, we will fight."

"Eli, I don't do that anymore. I've changed. God helped…" Eli cut him off.

"Enough about your God! We all know it's a load of bullshit," Clare and Fitz flinch at this. "And that you just used it as an excuse to weasel your way into Clare's life. The only deity worth worshipping is her." Eli points a trembling finger at Clare.

"Eli, you've taken this too far."

"I know you're still upset with me, and I know I was a horrible person, but I want to make amends…" Eli cut Fitz off again.

"Lies! You're nothing but a bully, and a thief, and a liar, and a _**demon**_." Eli snarled. "I'm so tired of having the students of Degrassi having to bow down to your every whim. Tired of watching them cower in fear of getting a beaten up. But most of all, I am sick and tired of how you manipulated Clare." Eli took a dramatic pause, moving his bangs out of his face so he could stare down Fitzy Boy. "Tonight though, it will end."

"What are you going to do, kill him?" Clare questioned.

"Well, love, I'm going to take a shot at it." Eli grabbed the loaded gun from his pocket, aimed and fired. The next few moments blurred together. A shot ran out through the air. A cry of 'NO'. A body falling to the floor, followed by a harsh 'thud'. The police ran through the open door and tackled Eli, who was screaming. He could see through his tears that his aim had been true, but his plot had still been foiled. Clare's body laid on the floor, with Fitz crouched over her, lifting her limp form.

The paramedics rushed up the stairs with a stretcher for Clare, and Fitz ran down with them, clutching her hands the entire time. On a separate stretcher lay an unconscious Drew. Bianca stood sobbing over him. Once the ambulances and police cars were both loaded, they speed away to their separate locations.

Fitz sat in the back, silently crying as he watched Clare's shallow breathing. Some paramedics were using devices to help her; Fitz had no clue if they were actually helping or not. Under hoarse, labored breathe, he sang her favorite song.

"_You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. _

_You make me happy, when skies are gray. _

_You never noted, how much I loved you,_

_please don't take my sunshine away."_

He took a moment to wipe his tears away with the back of his sleeve.

"_The other night dear, as I lay sleeping,_

_I dreamt I held you in my arms,"_

In the police car, Eli was handcuffed and sore. He let the tears continue to fall as he mourned the loss of Clare. And what would be a better way than to reminiscence about her favorite song?

"**When I awoke dear, I was mistaken,**

**So I held my head, and I cried.**

**You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.**

**You make me happy, when skies are gray.**

**You'll never know dear, how much I loved you,**

**So please don't take my sunshine away."**

"_I'll always love you, and make you happy"_

"**If you will only say the same,**

**But if you leave me, to love another,**

**You'll regret it all one day." **Eli skipped the chorus to go to his two new favorite verses.

"**You told me once dear, you really loved me, **

**And no one else could come between.**

**But now you've left me, and love another.**

**You have shattered all of my dreams." **Eli was chuckling like a lunatic now, and the police officer glared at him from the rearview mirror.

"**In all my dreams, dear, you seem to leave me  
>When I awake my poor heart pains.<br>So when you come back and make me happy  
>I'll forgive you dear, I'll take all the blame."<strong>

"_You are my sunshine,"_

"**My only sunshine,"**

"_You make me happy, when skies are gray."_

"**You never noted…"  
><strong>

"_How much I love you._

_Please don't take my sunshine away."_

**Author's Note: And fade out. Please, just disregard any new things from Degrassi, because I haven't watched it in forever and I'm too lazy to edit/change my story. Thanks for tolerating my 1.5 year gap in this.**


End file.
